CHOCOLATE CHERRY MOUNDS ~ BLOG 365.49

CHOCOLATE CHERRY MOUNDS
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
6 tablespoons WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 cup JIF peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon PURE almond extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
10 ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained WELL and chopped FINE

  • In a large mixing bowl add the quick cooking oats and cherry pieces. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, butter, milk and baking cocoa.
  • Over a medium heat melt butter and bring mixture to a boil,cooking and stirring continuously for 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in peanut butter and extracts, stirring until combined well.
  • Pour mixture over oat mixture and mix until oatmeal is well coated.
  • Drop the mixture tablespoons onto wax paper lined cookie sheets.
  • Chill until set.
  • Store in airtight containers.

SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES ~ BLOG 365.48

SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES yields 3 dozen cookies

Adapted from Like Mother Like Daughter

Sweet and salty, loaded with gooey caramel, chocolate chips and pretzels to make THE PERFECT cookie!

1 cup UNSALTED butter, COLD
1 cup PACKED dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped pretzels
1/2 bag Kraft caramel balls (2 balls per cookie)
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Line cookie sheet with parchment or silpat.
  • Cut your butter into slices.
  • Add butter slices to a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beating until it starts to smooth and get creamy. 
  • Add in sugars and beat for 1-2 minutes more until smooth and well combined.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla extract beating JUST until incorporated.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
  • Add the flour mixture, beating on low speed until the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

  • Fold the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces into the dough.
  • Scoop dough by the tablespoon.
  • Press the dough flat and place 2 caramel balls in the middle.
  • Roll the cookie dough around the caramel.

  • Bake 8-12 minutes, or until the cookie top and bottom are golden.
  • Sprinkle the tops of the cookies immediately with coarse sea salt.

  • Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. 

  • Store cookies in an airtight container, or ziplock bag for 3 to 4 days.


NOTES: Add 1 tablespoon at a time more of flour if dough is too wet and sticky.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WHISKEY CHICKEN ~ BLOG 365.47

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WHISKEY CHICKEN – serves 4

Plan ahead to make this simply delicious and juicy BBQ chicken. Marinating for 24 hours or more is best for providing the most flavor.

¾ cup QUALITY whiskey
¾ cup pineapple juice
½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
4-5 garlic cloves, FINELY minced
2 tablespoons QUALITY Worcestershire sauce
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 chicken breasts

  • Whisk together whiskey, pineapple juice, BBQ sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.
  • Pour over chicken and let marinate overnight (24 hours is best) in the refrigerator.
  • Remove chicken from marinade and grill for 12 to 15 minutes. (see notes)
  • Brush with additional BBQ sauce before removing from grill.

NOTES:

  • To prepare chicken inside instead of grilling, pan sear the chicken on both sides for 3 minutes. Place the chicken on a baking sheet, brush with BBQ sauce and bake for 5-10 minutes at 400º.
  • You can substitute Bourbon if you prefer.

What you May NOT know about ME ~BLOG 365.45

Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope you’re doing something fun today! We don’t really go out and do the crowds, not even before COVID, but will go to a favorite local haunt for lunch where she makes incredible roast chicken on Tuesdays or maybe for tacos since it’s also Taco Tuesday 😀 I’ll leave you with a little funny before I head into today’s topic.

Recently, Jean over at Chit Chat with Jean played along with Billie Jo over at Afternoon Coffee And Evening Tea and declared it Get To Know Your Blog Friends Week and then challenged us to do the same. She shared a few things most people probably didn’t know about her. I also remembered having done a similar post when I began blogging all those years ago so went in search of that post to see how things may have changed, which was easier said than done with merging blogs.

I found a couple of older posts, 6 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME and TAG YOU’RE IT and another TAG YOU’RE IT and at that time I actually quit looking because I realized that back then there were fewer of us blogging and memes were just getting reworded 😀 So it’s time to do this head on. Ironically most of the blogs I interacted with back then no longer exist.

Many things I wrote about back then still apply, but they are no longer “little known” about me. I was tagged by Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers to share a bit about myself. Her meme was in a question form which seems like a fun way to draw your mind from blank to being flooded with thoughts. I kept a couple of those questions to start today’s post with.

What was I doing 10 years ago?

  • My answer then in 2009 was: I was living in Northridge, California and was STILL in a major rebuild process from the 1994 earthquake. Between finishing college in 1995 and dealing with insurance it took awhile to get to the rebuilding which took many years and was completed in 1999. Boy am I glad all of that is in my past.
  • My answer now for 2023: I was splitting my time between Oregon and California helping my mom paint both houses and do some updates and repairs. It was also the year I had my second stomach surgery so there was some recuperation time with lots of pool time in the sun in between.

Snacks I enjoy? Ironically this category hasn’t changed all that much 😀
Apples, though now I prefer pears when I can get good ones.
Bananas – always a favorite
Popcorn – still love it, though it doesn’t agree with my stomach as much anymore.
String Cheese – always a snack favorite
Wheat Thins – I no longer eat many of these 🙁

Things I would do if I were a Billionaire?

  • Pay off all my debt!
  • Buy my brother a house as well as our son and his wife.
  • Set up college plans for each of my nieces and nephews.
  • Build a house on a lake in the Pacific Northwest to be nearer family – this is the only one that’s changed. After being here and trying to deal with the healthcare we no longer want to be here and have decided to move back to Texas.
  • Buy a long arm quilter.
  • Set up a scholarship fund for needy girls.
  • Build a ranch for abused women and their children.
  • Make cuddly quilts for sick children’s beds.

Places I have lived – I LOVE to travel domestically because flying makes me sick usually so we road trip.

  • U.P., Michigan
  • Texas
  • Kansas
  • Oregon
  • Northridge and others, California
Another post tagged me by Susan at Art Angelix where I was supposed to tell you 3 known facts and 3 unknown facts about myself. The obvious ones were:
  1. I like to cook
  2. I like to blog
  3. I like to quilt

And the lesser or unknown facts were considerably harder to come up with back then though many of you know these things about me now:

  1. I’m a night owl and an early bird which makes for poor sleeping habits. I think I’m just afraid to miss anything so I stay up late to get my lists accomplished and get up early to get a good start on them.
  2. I’m an avid reader and usually have 2 or 3 books going at the same time and at any given point in time.
  3. I’m a list maker! I can’t stand to miss anything so I write lists for everything!

So, for today’s post, I’m taking her idea and sharing a few more random things about myself.

  • I LOVE word games and play WORDLE with my brother and another friend long distance every day as well as having multiple WORDS with FRIENDS games going every day.
  • My favorite color is purple though I tend to gravitate to blues and grays more often than not.
  • I’m a college graduate with a B.S. in Health Education and a minor in Women’s Studies. I was supposed to be a patient advocate and teacher though my health at the time led to my being immunocompromised with primarily respiratory infections and the doctors advised me against both career choices to avoid germs that were constantly keeping me sick.
  • I 100% agree with Jean that white chocolate is an abomination and that it’s not even real chocolate! She found proof too! proof that white chocolate is fake. I’m still a kid at heart and LOVE milk chocolate though I can’t have much anymore.
  • Diet Coke used to ALSO be my go to drink until my SLE diagnosis in the mid 90’s. I won’t touch anything diet or even regular soda now.

Now that you know more than you wanted to know about me, what don’t I know about you?

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 7 of 2023 BLOG 365.44

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Good morning sweet friends! Can you believe that we’re halfway through February already?

Last week was sooooooooooooo busy and this week is looking like it will be too! Our Eagle’s lodge had a Valentine’s dinner dance on Saturday night and a Super Bowl party yesterday. I already do half the weekly shopping for the lodge on Wednesdays, but the lady who does the other half was sick this week so I did it ALL, PLUS the shopping for the Dinner Dance AND Super Bowl Party.

We had a GREAT time at the party. Trudy and I were the official trivia question answer checkers throughout the game. Congratulations to Jean and the Chiefs on a GREAT fun to watch game and the ultimate WIN 🙂

Then I spent Thursday helping my friend with estate sale items, Friday prepping the food for Saturday and Sunday, Saturday cooking and serving and Sunday helping with the boards and activities for the Super Bowl Party ~ ALL of which were HUGE successes! I even won some of the score board money, a t-shirt from an old favorite hangout, some kitchen credit money, beer coozies and these embroidered hand quilted pot holders.

So, evidently, Punxsutawney Phil was right this year! We are under Winter Storm Warning AGAIN! SO, needless to say we’re still cold and I’m still wearing multiple layers with warm UGG’s!

I’m devastated by the ongoing horror in Turkey and praying for ALL of those affected and that they can truly deal with the corruption that led to so many deaths from poor construction.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I need to catch up BIG time on the chores I didn’t get done during last week’s chaos!
  • GROCERIES, ERRANDS, PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS Hubby and I are doing date night with a couples paint night and dinner at a favorite haunt.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m done for this week, but will be doing a deep dive on the pantry/freezer inventory tomorrow to make the next month’s menu.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • CABLE We finished the re-watch of How I Met Your Mother and NASCAR starts next weekend, cooking shows…

I am literally between books, but did finished all the cooking magazines I needed to get through so will start a book tomorrow.
MONDAY 2/13
TUESDAY 2/14
WEDNESDAY 2/15
THURSDAY 2/16
FRIDAY 2/17
SATURDAY 2/18
SUNDAY 2/19
DINNER
SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN LASAGNA
 SAUCY PORK CHOP SKILLET, QUICK YEAST ROLLS
MEATY MANICOTTI and SNAP PEA SALAD
COPY CAT KFC CHICKEN, GREEN CHILI CREAMED CORN
 BEEF & BLACK BEAN SOUP
 SLOW COOKED CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
 ROUND UP RIBS, GRANDMA DOLL’S POTATO SALAD
DESSERT
 BANANA NUT BREAD and  CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
 CHOCOLATE CHUNK CHERRY COBBLER
FRUIT CROISSANT PUFF
FLOURLESS DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
 APPLE PUDDING CAKE
MAPLE CARROT CUPCAKES
BRUNCH HAM ENCHILADAS

The one and only sunny day last week the kitties got out to play.

BLOG 365.41 ~ FLASHBACK FRIDAY ~ COLLEGE HAIR STYLE

This was originall post December 28, 2012 while playing along with FLASHBACK FRIDAY @ SEASIDE SIMPLICITY where I was playing along with Martha at Seaside Simplicity with her then new meme Flashback Friday

She has since deleted much, if not most of her content, but I wish you could see the great old war photo she had used and I wish I had one like it, but on hand today is the one I dug up when I needed to get a hatchet haircut turned into something manageable to start growing it out again. This one was from my college days – fortunately the style had come back around. 

This is the style I went in to get trimmed before I ended up with the one below.
Originally posted December 28, 2012

These days I wear it much longer and have it grown back out again!

THURSDAY 13 ~ BLOG 365.40

 

 

THURSDAY 13
13 fun signs from a recent email:
Sign over a Gynecologist’s Office:
“Dr. Jones, at your cervix.”
 
In a Podiatrist’s office:
“Time wounds all heels.”
 
On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday’s Meals on Wheels
 
At a Proctologist’s door:
“To expedite your visit, please back in.”

At an Optometrist’s Office:
“If you don’t see what you’re looking for,
you’ve come to the right place.”
 
On a Plumber’s truck:
“We repair what your husband fixed.”
 
On another Plumber’s truck:
“Don’t sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.”
 
On a Church’s Billboard:
“7 days without God makes one weak.”
 
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
“Invite us to your next blowout.”

At a Towing company:
“We don’t charge an arm and a leg. We want tows.”
 
On an Electrician’s truck:
“Let us remove your shorts.”

In a Non-smoking Area:
“If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.”
 
On a Maternity Room door:
“Push. Push. Push.”
 
On a Taxidermist’s window:
“We really know our stuff.”
 
On a Fence:
“Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!”
 
  At a Car Dealership:
“The best way to get back on your feet –
 miss a car payment.”
 
Outside a Muffler Shop:
“No appointment necessary. We hear you coming.”
 
In a Veterinarian’s waiting room:
“Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!”
 
At the Electric Company
“We would be delighted if you send in your payment
However, if you don’t, you will be.”
 
In a Restaurant window:
“Don’t stand there and be hungry;
 come on in and get fed up.”
 
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
“Drive carefully. We’ll wait.”
 
At a Propane Filling Station:
“Thank heaven for little grills.”

And don’t forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
“Best place in town to take a leak.”
 

Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:

“Caution – This Truck is full of Political Promises”

LASAGNA SOUP ~ BLOG 365.38

LASAGNA SOUP

2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 LARGE onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, to taste, minced
4 1/2 cups homemade beef broth
14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, to taste
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite size pieces
shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz) finely shredded Parmesan cheese
8 ounces ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH parsley, plus more for garnish, OPTIONAL

  • Heat one tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Crumble beef into pot, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until browned.
  • Drain fat from beef and set beef aside. 
  • 
Heat remaining oil in pot, add chopped onion and saute 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften.
  • Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. 
  • Add in broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, browned ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Bring JUST to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
  • While sauce is simmering prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions.
  • 
In a mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta.
    Fold cooked pasta into soup along with parsley, then thin soup with a little more broth if desired.

  • Ladle soup into bowls, dollop with a large scoop of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

NOTE: 

  • Cheese dollop will melt well once stirred into soup.
  • Adapts well to slow cooker also